The car ride to the target location felt like an eternity to Tsukiko. Yes it was an intense situation, but without anyone talking it made it that much worse. Tsukiko even thought that the princess would be chatting up a storm.

tsukiko asked out loud, breaking the tense silence, “So anything new?”

“umm…” Summer tipped her head in thought, “Well, I'm with your brother. That is about it.”

“Yeah, I know. That’s kinda weird too”

Summer’s eyebrows rose as she looked questioningly at the other woman, “How so?”

Tsukiko thought about her response, “well...you see Herro isn't the most popular with woman.”

“Oh he has dated a few.” She continued at Summers gaze, “In fact the last one was crazy! I even had tah step in to help him escape her. Now…I don't know just feels weird to see him with such a great looking woman”

“So they were all ugly hags?” Summer asked with a laugh in her voice.

Tsukiko held up her hands, “No no, not really, but you are so unlike him. He was the kid who purposely blended into the crowd. You are like the cheerleading captain. Seems strange is all”

“i believe we grew out of highschool. Yes I was the popular girl, but mostly because of my blood instead of my personality. I had a lot of fake friends and guys who wanted me for my body and status. It even followed me into my adult life until recently. Your brother came to my rescue and didn't ask a thing. He could have tried to get with me or have sex, but didn't and I love that. Even cute how he tries to get away.”

“you could do so much better”

“you really don't understand my problems do you? I honestly love him, and I know he likes me. Its genuine and I won't trade that for anything” Summer responded then looked out the window. “how are things with my brother?”

Now it was tsukiko’s turn to look out the window. It had been a nice couple of days, but nothing like what you have. We connected I believe, and did a couple of dates but that's it. It's better than a friend, but seems almost less than a boyfriend.”

“well don't worry. Yes our race is very sexual but razor isn't like the rest of us. Oh he has sex, and experimented around, but he doesn't act on impulse. Plus he is generally buried in work. I can't even remember the last time he dated. Also, he has the same problem as me so it makes it hard to tell who really loves you”

“i get the work part. I do very much the same thing, but would it hurt to kiss me”

“yeah I understand what you mean, but he did something better he tried to connect with you...in his own way. Don't worry if he didn't care he would of had sex and taken you on a shopping spree to butter you up and then let you go.”

Tsukiko instantly looked right at Summer. The words caused a little concern. Yes they haven't had sex, but there was a pattern.

“I know. He tries to be nice even if he knows it won't work out. Don't worry just take it for what it is. If he is taking it slow then it's a good sign”

The car started slowing down and parked on the side of the road. The door was opened up from the outside by a man in a long coat even though it wasn't that cold out and wore fingerless gloves. He had round gold glasses. His hair was raven black. He smiled a polite smile at tsukiko, and his black eyes came to Summer and they lit right up with excitement.

“miss Maxwell and your highness!” the man said

“Matt I told you only on formal occasions should you call me that” Summer replied

“you know this guy?” tsukiko asked

“of course she does! My family has been part of the royal guard for generations. I will be king razor’s personal guard one day” Matt said excitedly. “unless something changes”

“like what?” tsukiko asked

“don't ask. He has been on a kick since we were little. He has a little crush on me” Summer announced in a bored tone. “and for the thousandth time Matt I'm just not interested”

“one day you will see what you are missing”

Summer then looked at Matt very stern. “obviously today isn't that day. In fact I already claimed my mate”

“what!”

Tsukiko smirked. “yeah she chose my brother”

“who is that!”

“...I think you already met.” tsukiko put her hair over one eye and did a impersonation of Herro. Matt instantly remembered

“the cry baby the other day? The one who had his car busted?”

“bingo!” tsukiko said smiling. She was in delight getting Matt pissed off.

“what do you see in that weakling?”

“Matt!” Summer said in a angry voice. Then slapped him. “stay focused! We have a mission!”

Matt stood in silence thinking about what just happened. Then he smiled and said “do it again!”

Summer just rolled her eyes. “if I do trust me you won't like it. Now can we get on with this”

“right, so there is a old factory just a couple buildings down. In fact you can see the smokestacks rising higher than any building around them. That turns out to be the address of the base we received. So far nobody has come in or out. I eventually cut down the amount of guys staking out the place so the other location would have more support.” Matt explained and as he did he got a look of concern from Summer. “again there has been no activity. We even used thermal imaging and got nothing. I am assuming it was a way to divide our forces”

“it might, but we can still leave and help out the guys, so not much of a diversion” Summer pondered

“no there is something here.” tsukiko said as she opened her magic vision. “if he is anything like what dad said warlock always has a reason for everything. This base might be minor to him but it still has a purpose. Plus, he spent so much time and effort on the magic wards, and you don't do that for nothing”

“i still feel it's a waste of time miss Maxwell” Matt countered. “however, it is up to the princess here to decide”

“are you absolutely positive there is something magically going on tsukiko?” Summer asked

“I know something is going on. Even if it doesn't show.” tsukiko answered.

“well then let's move forward and investigate.” Summer ordered.

The trio arrived outside the factory. Tsukiko looked around briefly they raised her hand to something invisible and said something in a foreign language. Then the air was filled with popping noises and it was almost like a curtain covering the factory dropped away. The dead factory now looked like it was in use. The lights were on and smoke bellowed out of the stacks now. However, no person was initially seen yet.

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Matt whistled out loud at the shock of seeing the factory change. “I had no idea”

“it's fine I couldn't see this either, but warlock is no average magia anyways.” tsukiko said, but the look on her face seemed to show concern

“what is the matter?” Summer asked

“just seemed too easy. I figured the wards would have separate locks or more complicated than a simple counter spell”

“maybe he got cocky and didn't expect us to get this far.” Matt responded. “ however, if we want to go unnoticed we really need to move forward”

The three pressed on and ran to the nearest door, again it was suspiciously unlocked allowing them to enter. The first room was a long hallway that had doors on both the right and left. As the group moved forward they tried each door and found all of them locked. At the end of the hall was double doors you push to open. Without much option they went into the next chamber.

This room was huge. Easily the floor or area of main production in the factory. The lights showed that still no person was in the room, and yet strange machines could be seen on the far end of the room. Catwalks went across the room above and they were connected to another floor above.

The trio started moving forward and got about halfway across the room when they heard walking above them. They turned around to see a figure wearing black robes and piercing glowing purple eyes. Although she had never met him tsukiko knew that she was looking at warlock.

“hello young ones. I had thought there were more of you like at the other location. Pity really.” warlock said condescending.

“we didn't feel you were a big enough threat to warrant more people” Summer responded

Warlock looked at her for a couple of moments then said “my dear you might turn into a great politician one day, but I know you are lying.”

“i was in charge of security of this area, and we did feel it was useless to keep guards here, so she isn't lying” Matt tried to counter

Warlock then shook his head in disbelief. “are you kidding me? Are you to tell me the royal princess, a magia from the house of Maxwell, and one of the royal guard. I know you had people out here a day ago. Furthermore, you would be at the other location instead of here. Seriously, I'm not dumb! I have been outsmarting Albert for some time, so I know you won't we getting one over on me”

“fine, whatever the point is we are here now! So whatever your plan is will be shut down! You going to come down here or am I going to have to come up there?” tsukiko responded.

Summer stood confused during what tsukiko said and asked “who is Albert?”

“my dear you must really start understanding the magia world and it's politics if you are ever going to take the throne. He is one of the strongest wizards” warlock stated. “also happens to be Ms. Maxwell's father”

Summer turned her head to tsukiko who looked at the floor almost in embarrassment. Then summer asked “is this true?”

“yeah Lord Albert Maxwell is my father. Though he doesn't like titles. I can explain more after all this” tsukiko answered

“speaking of which before any of you get to take me on I believe a test is in order.” warlock said and as he did doors on the sides of the room opened up. Growling and moaning noises could be heard coming from within the blackened halls. “if any of you pass the exam the door on the far end will unlock. Then feel free to come up here and challenge me”

After saying that warlock vanished from sight. The sounds from those door got louder and louder. Then a few dozen dead people came out of the doors and wandered slowly towards the trio.

“seriously this is the exam?” Summer said as she pulled out her tonfas from behind her back and spun them around. “seems like a weak exam”

Tsukiko reached into a black portal and pulled out a staff that was forked at the top and said “i agree, but who knows if the zombies are rigged to explode it be best to have someone attack and test out that theory”

Summer immediately looked at Matt whose head dropped knowing what she was thinking. “you don't need to ask your highness I will make sure they are...umm...safe I guess”

Matt raced forward towards the one group of zombies. He then reached into his jacket sleeves and pulled out a few knives and getting within range threw them one at a time into the zombies heads. Nothing happened. They didn't explode but it also didn't stop their advancement. So Matt reached again into his jacket and pulled out two double edged sword and lunged forward. He cut one of their heads off then spun around and cut another one's head off. The bodies dropped to the ground and laid lifeless.

Summer upon seeing the results of Matt’s labor Summer raced toward the other group of zombies. Her tonfas spinning rapidly around her sides. She then reached her targets she swung her weapons at speeds that was hard to keep up with all you could hear is a loud crack and a zombie’s head would violently snap back and drop to the ground. She plowed right through the crowed. If a zombie started to attack she would do a thrust kick and push them back so she could strike with her tonfas.

“wow, better remind Herro not to piss her off then” tsukiko said. She felt out of place seeing both Amazons cutting down the attacking zombies. However, she wanted to help so she rushed forward seeing that the two groups converged in the middle. She pointed the forked end of her staff, said a word, and both ends shot a pillar of flame from the tips. The flame engulfed the zombies as she did a wide sweep.

Matt avoided the flame and continued to hack down the zombies in front of him. One got a little too close so he did a spinning round house kick to its head causing it to seperate from its body. Then it hit him this would be a chance to show off for his princess. He spun around putting the swords back into his coat then leaped high into the air and put his arms into the sleeves of his coat. Then pulled them out and chains came out of his sleeves. They almost seemed alive because they came down and wrapped around the necks of the remaining zombies. On the chains was incendiary grenades.

“watch out everyone!” Matt yelled to them. Summer rushed to tsukiko’s side as she put a shield up. As Matt decened in the air he pulled his arms into a x pattern on his chest which somehow pulled the pins on the grenades. The zombies then exploded into a ball of fire. Destroying the magic that kept them animated. Matt then hit the ground flawlessly. “that's my first trick everyone”

Tsukiko actually clapped. “how did you do that?”

“dark magic!” Matt said smiling

“actually it is very similar to your portal that you pulled out your staff. Except he can use his power to channel it in his coat. Then things like the chains he infuses his power into it controll how it acts. It isn't that big of a deal” Summer explained. “it isn't magic on your level, but it's a diffrent form of Amazon power”

Matt hung his head in the simple explanation, but tsukiko said “it's ok it was very affective in this fight” which helped raise Matt’s spirits a little.

“did you like it princesses?” Matt asked

“it was ok. Ended the fight quickly so it had its purpose, but my dear could do better. Wish he was here” Summer answered

“no...no you don't” tsukiko said out loud

Then a loud crashing noise came through the dark hallway. Pounding like something running very fast was coming. Then a large undead creature three times the size of any human charged out of the doorway. It rushed at tsukiko and Summer but the shield came back up just as it punched at them blocking it completely.

Matt then rushed towards the creature with his swords he brought back out. He dodged a swing from the berserk creature and did a diagnal cut down the creature’s chest which caused it to get even more pissed off. Matt dodged a couple more punches but as he went to do another slash the back of a fist drove into his face throwing him back. The monster not letting up punched him in the chest and once in the face sending Matt flying into the wall. The monster stood over the unconscious Matt ready to finish him off. As it rose his foot up to stomp on him a powerful blast of arctic air slammed into him causing ice to instantly appear over its body. The monster’s attention focused back on the girls particularly the young witch that fired the spell.

The two women broke apart making it so he had to chose a target, but he already had it in his head to get tsukiko so he continued to move towards her, but awkwardly tried to keep an eye on Summer. Tsukiko raised her staff and said a magic word and a bright light shined from one of the forks. The zombie stepped back then moved forward very quickly at her.

“guess illusions don't work on them” tsukiko said out loud and surprised. She immediately jumped and did a roll out of the way of the zombie then rose to her feet as it ran past her. She then concentrated best she could her energy and focus cause balls of light to appear at the forks of her staff. She then took her nails and scratched her arm which caused blood to come out of her.

The zombie was pissed he missed his target. Upon seeing her kneeling down focusing he rushed forward again hell bent on destroying her. His muscles bulged as he forced intently at his one target and raised one fist back to cripple her in one hit. Then her eyes opened and she shouted a word. Arctic air slammed into him again, but this time it was stronger. Ice developed all around his body and continued to do so until he was frozen in a iceberg.

Summer leapt into the air her tonfas spinning. The black weapons began to glow a dark purple. She then came down and hit the iceberg so hard it exploded into thousands of pieces. She then turned and smiled at Tsukiko.

“great idea you had. Too bad Matt had to try taking the beast on by himself but it gave us time to strategize” Summer said

Tsukiko walked over to Matt and used a healing spell to fix his injuries, but he still lay unconscious. “i guess we will have to take him up to the next floor”

“I can carry him. I might look petite, but I am surprisingly strong” summer then picked Matt up and slung him over her shoulder.

“guess that kills all the cool points he earned” tsukiko said

“honey I have known him for years. He doesn't have any cool points.

A loud auditable unlocking sound could be heard. The two girls then walked towards the door knowing the next stage would be harder.